Manually tiltable educational ball game



July 18, 1950 F. L. JACKSON MANUALLY TILTABLE EDUCATIONAL BALL GAME Filed Sept. 13, 1946 In z'enmr Frafik L- Jacks m1 Patented July 18, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MANUALLY TILTABLE EDUCATIONAL BALL GAME 4 Claims.

This invention relates to toys and more particularly to toys having educational value.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a tubular structure provided with lateral pockets and in which balls can be moved by tilting the structure to seek and enter predetermined pockets, this promoting dexterity and amusement especially with children.

Another important object of the invention is to provide a simplified educational toy which can be manufactured at a very low cost and which can be manipulated by anyone without likelihood of losing any of the movable elements thereof.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent to the reader of the following description.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the toy.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view through the toy.

Referring to the drawing, numeral 5 denotes an elongated tube closed at its opposite ends 6, I and being of sufficient diameter to permit a plurality of different sized balls 8, 9, I and II to readily roll therein, from one end to the other.

At a point inwardly from one end of the tube is a tube I2 projecting laterally from the tube 5 and being closed at its lower end and opening at its opposite end in communication with the interior of the tube 5. In addition, there are similarly constructed tubes l3, I4 and I5 projecting laterally and in communication with the tube 5 and these tubes I2, I3, I4 and I5 are arranged in a row along the tube 5 and in suitable spaced relation with respect to each other.

The tubes I2, I 3, I4 and I5 are of gradually increasing diameter to accommodate the different sized balls II, I0, 9 and 8 respectively.

Different problems may be presented to the player. For instance, the first problem might be to get all of the balls in the tube I5, which because of its greatest diameter will receive each of the balls. However, the problem may be to get the balls 8, 9, I0 and I I in their corresponding sized tubes I5, I I, I3 and I2, as shown in Figure 2. Obviously, by rotating the tube 5, the balls will roll out of the lateral tubes into the main tube and by tilting the tube 5, all of the balls can be rolled to one end, as suggested in broken circles in Figure 2.

The balls can be mixed up in the tube by holding some at one end of the tube while the others are permitted to roll out of their tubes, so the problem may be to get the smallest ball past the tubes I2, I3 and I4 and in the tube I5 and the other balls of successively increasing size above that ball.

Various games and antics can be accomplished with this toy with substantial educational gain. The tubes may be numbered and the balls may also be numbered or the tubes may have different colors thereon to correspond to the different colored balls for the purpose of teaching colors to children.

The structure is preferably made of some transparent plastic, through which the balls can be readily seen, but which will not easily break.

While the foregoing description sets forth the invention in specific terms, it is to be understood that numerous changes in the shape, size, and materials may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed hereinafter.

Having described the claimed as new is:

1. A toy comprising a manually tiltable elongated transparent tube closed at its opposite ends, a plurality of transparent tubes projecting laterally from the first mentioned tube and being in communication with the interior thereof and movable elements in the first mentioned tube adapted to be switched into the lateral tubes.

2. A toy comprising a manually tiltable elongated transparent tube closed at its opposite ends, a plurality of transparent tubes projecting laterally from the first mentioned tube and being in communication with the interior thereof and movable elements in the first mentioned tube adapted to be switched into the lateral tubes, said movable elements being of different sizes, said lateral tubes being of different sizes corresponding to the sizes of the movable elements.

3. A toy comprising a manually tiltable elongated tube closed at its opposite ends, a plurality of tubes projecting laterally from the first mentioned tube and being in communication with the interior thereof and movable elements in the first mentioned tube adapted to be switched into the lateral tubes, said tubes being of transparent plastic material.

4. A toy comprising a manually tiltable elongated transparent tube closed at its opposite ends, a plurality of transparent tubes projecting laterally from the first mentioned tube and being in communication with the interior thereof and movable elements in the first mentioned tube adapted to be switched into the lateral tubes, said lateral tubes being in spaced parallel relation and at substantial right angle to the first mentioned tube.

invention, what is FRANK L. JACKSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2.342.652 Eakins Feb. 29, 1941 

